Language & Travel Hacking

Elizabeth Bruckner failed ten times to learn French. It wasn’t until she began exploring the online language community that she finally learned French… in her 40s. She’s since gone on to successfully learn German and Spanish and is now one of the coaches of the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge.

In this episode, we chat with Elizabeth about her experiences learning a language in her 40s, the brain and language learning, how to overcome our inner gremlins and Elizabeth gives you a taste of what it’s like to get coached in the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge.

We actually guarantee that anyone who completes the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge will have a 15-minute conversation in their new language after 90 days of learning. You can find out more here.

Featured Resources

• Speak in a Week
• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• italki

Mentioned in this Episode

• Elizabeth’s failed attempts at learning languages
• Benny’s Rosetta Stone review
• Speak in a Week
• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• italki
• Assimil
• Anki
• Michel Thomas
• Goldlist Method
• Elizabeth’s Instagram
• Elizabeth’s acupuncture practice

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• Learning languages later in life
• Finding the desire to learn languages
• Using neuroscience to help with learning
• How to stop making emotional excuses and finally learn a language
• The biggest language learning gremlins to overcome
• The importance of community in language learning
• Creating systems and paths to push you towards your language learning
• An inside look at coaching in the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• Advice for the most common stumbling blocks for language learners
• Finding language giants
• Why there’s no one path to learning a language

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

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Michele Frolla grew up hearing Italian, but didn’t learn to speak it until she was a bit older. After picking up her heritage language, she went on to live and work in Italy, fully immersing herself in the language. She then went on to create the Intrepid Guide where she shares her experience and tips for learning languages and living abroad.

In this episode, we chat with Michele about her experiences learning, living and working in another language and how this lead to her creating her own language business.

Featured Resources

• Mondly
• Intrepid Spanish
• Intrepid Italian
• Intrepid French

Mentioned in this Episode

• Mondly
• Michel Thomas
• UTalk
• Michele’s site
• Michele’s Instagram
• Michele’s YouTube
• Michele’s Facebook
• Michele’s Twitter
• Netflix

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• Michele’s experience with her heritage language and its impact on finally learning Italian
• Moving to Rome and living the Italian life
• The power of modal verbs
• Learning with pen and paper
• Her challenges with learning Norwegian
• The origins of her blog, the Intrepid Guide
• Leaning into the fear of language learning
• Making friends with her languages
• Tips on finding jobs in foreign countries
• Learning a language to live in a country that speaks it

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

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Famous polyglot Steve Kaufmann joins us in this inspiring episode of the language hacking podcast. In our chat with Steve, we discuss comprehensible input and compelling input, what LingQ is and why Steve created it, and the early disagreements between Benny and Steve.

Featured Resources

• LingQ

Mentioned in this Episode

• LingQ
• Comprehensible Input
• Steve’s YouTube
• Steve’s Instagram
• Steve’s Twitter
• Steve’s website

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• Steve’s background with his many languages and his “allergy” to his heritage languages
• The story behind creating LingQ, one of the most popular language learning apps
• Steve’s job experience with languages and why he believes languages can be tied into any job
• Consuming massive amounts of input as a method to learn languages
• Benny and Steve’s early disagreements on language learning
• The importance of keeping a positive attitude when learning
• Learning languages after age 60 and why you learn better the older you get
• Comprehensible input versus compelling input
• What language hacking is to Steve Kaufmann

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

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This episode features Avi, who learned conversational Chinese in just 90 days with the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge.

We actually guarantee that anyone who completes the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge will have a 15-minute conversation in their new language after 90 days of learning. You can find out more here.

In our chat with Avi, a Fluent in 3 Months Challenge participant and coach, she shares how rediscovered her love of languages and came to the realization that she is a polyglot while learning Chinese in the Challenge.

Featured Resources

• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge

Mentioned in this Episode

• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• LingQ

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• “Forgetting” French as a child
• What it was like learning English as a foreign language in Israel
• Figuring out how to learn a language through self-study
• What it’s like being Shannon’s language exchange partner
• Using poetry, recipes, and martial arts to learn languages
• Avi’s amazing progress with Mandarin in the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• Coming to the self-realization she is a polyglot and falling back in love with languages
• Learning how to maintain multiple languages

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

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Johan Tekfak, creator of Français Authentique, shares how he uses Kaizen and other productivity systems to build his language business and improve his language skills each and every day.

Mentioned in this Episode

• Français Authentique
• Getting Things Done by David Allen

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• How Johan learned German for his job as an engineer
• Creating systems to learn languages
• Making use of “dead time” in language learning
• Focusing on interesting and compelling content in your target language - not just material that’s available
• The 7 rules of Français Authentique
• What is “Kaizen” and how does it apply to language learning?
• How Johann built his own language company a little bit at a time
• Simplifying and de-stressing the language learning process
• Common roadblocks faced by language learners
• How to attach rewards to language learning to boost motivation

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

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This episode features Turia, who learned Spanish to the conversational level in just 90 days with the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge.

Turia shares her experience going from an on-again-off-again Spanish learner to a confident Spanish speaker with the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge. She also shares how she travels alone with her children in Spanish-speaking countries, developing a homeschooling curriculum for Spanish for her children, and how she responded to emergency situations in Spanish.

We actually guarantee that anyone who completes the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge will have a 15-minute conversation in their new language after 90 days of learning. You can find out more here.

Featured Resources

• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• LingQ
• French Uncovered

Mentioned in this Episode

• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• LingQ
• French Uncovered
• Workaway
• Fabulingua
• Fable Cottage
• The Spanish Experiment
• Radio Ambulante
• Scott Young’s Year Without English

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• How the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge helped Turia become a confident learner after 20 years of learning on and off again
• How Turia is teaching her three kids to speak fluent Spanish
• Moving to Spain for immersion and learning about the culture
• Incorporating Spanish into a homeschooling curriculum
• Navigating tricky or nightmare situations in another language
• What it’s like traveling alone with kids
• Turia’s favorite rituals and resources for learning Spanish
• Making friends and building relationships in Spanish
• Letting kids’ language studies be child-led

More Resources

After we recorded this episode, Turia was kind enough to share more specific resources with us.

• Spanish champs - a program that includes a script and is song/activity based. It also includes a dvd with clips incorporating the songs taught.
• Talkbox Mom - a subscription service that offers resources to help you switch your day to day interactions into your new language.
• Whistlefritz - a foreign language show for kids by kids available on Amazon prime.

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

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Kerstin Cable from the Fluent Language Blog shares her experience learning English to full fluency as a native German speaker, her method for acquiring new vocabulary and her long-term, slow approach to learning new languages.

Featured Resources

• Your Solid Vocab Memory
• German Uncovered

Mentioned in this Episode

• The Fluent Show
• The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin
• German Uncovered
• Duolingo
• Fluentlanguage.co.uk
• Kerstin’s Instagram
• Kerstin’s Youtube channel
• Kerstin’s Twitter account

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• How the bigness of our world inspired Kerstin to learn languages
• Learning English using 90s Brit-pop
• Kerstin’s curiosity and excitement for learning Welsh
• Kerstin’s biggest challenges learning Mandarin
• Using mnemonics and visual images to learn new vocabulary
• How to find your language learning personality so you can find the right approaches and resources for you
• How Kerstin takes language learning slow, studying only 2-3 hours a week
• Kerstin’s top tips for language learners from her experience as a one-to-one language coach
• How to choose the best language learning resources for you
• Using handwriting in vocab notebooks as a memory strategy
• How teaching German helps Kerstin feel like she knows the language better than ever
• Kerstin’s German student immersion retreats
• “Your solid vocab memory” - Kerstin’s method of acquiring, memorizing, and reviewing vocabulary

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

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This episode features Jane T, who learned several languages to the conversational level in just 90 days with the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge.

Jane quit her job after her husband retired to start traveling around Europe in a motorhome, learning languages along the way. Shannon and Benny talk with Jane about her motorhome journeys and how she learns languages while she travels. Jane also shares how community helps with overcoming limiting self beliefs in language learning.

We guarantee that anyone who completes the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge will have a 15-minute conversation in their new language after 90 days of learning. You can find out more here.

Featured Resources

• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• italki
• LingQ

Mentioned in this Episode

• Jane’s blog

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• How Jane quit her job after her husband retired to start traveling around Europe, learning languages along the way
• How traveling in a motorhome gives Jane and her husband the freedom to travel affordably while always having their home with them
• How the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge helped Jane get through the false starter phase of language learning
• The power of accountability and community
• How to learn languages with an unpredictable schedule and unreliable Internet
• The Comprehensible Input approach to language learning
• Talking to yourself in a language to get both practice and build your confidence
• How to overcome self-limiting beliefs
• Common language learning roadblocks and tips for getting through them
• How to filter what you’re learning to what’s relevant to you

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

Join Our Patreon

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Benny Lewis and Shannon Kennedy talk to Will John, a professional soccer player from the US who has played for teams in many different countries, including Denmark, Serbia, Azerbaijan, Morocco and Georgia. Will shares his top tips from his experience learning languages as he travels the world…

Featured Resources

• Muzzy in Gondoland

Mentioned in this Episode

• Muzzy in Gondoland
• Goluremi
• Goluremi on Youtube
• Goluremi on Youtube in Spanish
• The Way of Will John
• Will John’s Instagram
• 11th Commandment YouTube
• Foreign footballers speaking Finnish video

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• Will’s first foreign language: learning Spanish as a kid by watching Spanish-language TV shows.
• The strategies Will used to learn Danish when he moved to Denmark
• Tips for learning a language with immersion and with immersion.
• The power of rehearsal in language learning
• How to avoid the “English bubble” when living abroad
• Job opportunities that open up when you’ve got language skills
• How Will mixes his languages and football skills, and applies his football training methods to language learning
• Facing fears and creating online videos in other languages
• Why reading matters in language learning
• Feeling “ok” in the danger zone - and why that matters for language learners

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

Join Our Patreon

Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe to our Patreon to get access to bonus content and monthly exclusives.

This episode features Deb Bensauls, an enthusiastic language learner who learned conversational French AND Italian in just 90 days with the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge.

We guarantee that anyone who completes the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge will have a 15-minute conversation in their new language after 90 days of learning. You can find out more here.

Debs shares about travelling on her own using her French skills, using the language at work to create a better experience for her clients. She also discusses the power of friendship in language learning, and how being in a learning community changed her approach to French and gave her the confidence to learn Italian.

Featured Resources

• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• The Courage to Speak

Mentioned in this Episode

• Duolingo
• Fluent in 3 Months, the book
• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• The Courage to Speak
• Drops

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• The power of learning a language with friends and community.
• Why being the quiet one in the back makes the language classroom ineffective.
• How to build confidence in your languages and speaking.
• How the online language community helped Debs become the polyglot she was always meant to be.
• Why it’s important to share both the ups and downs of language learning.
• The dangers of comparison and how to overcome them.
• Strategies for overcoming overwhelm when it comes to learning resources.
• How learning your second language is different than your first.
• How Debs has been able to use her language skills at work in the medical field.
• What happens when a giant spider interrupts your language exchange.
• Debs favorite language learning rituals including mindmaps and sticky notes.

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

Join Our Patreon

Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe to our Patreon to get access to bonus content and monthly exclusives.